104 FOREST CONDITIONS IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. 



often small areas along streams or in small hollows, that might be 

 profitably planted in this species, since it grows very rapidly, and is 

 unusually free from enemies. When planted in such situations, it may 

 be advantageously mixed with red oak, white oak, hickory, or sugar 

 maple, the poplar trees themselves not making a dense enough shade 

 to insure most favorable conditions. If it is used around the house 

 or along the road for ornamental purposes, the ground, if poor, should 

 be enriched either before or after planting. Two or three year old 

 plants are recommended for general planting, though for ornamental 

 and shade purposes larger trees can be used. 



Balsam may be planted above an elevation of 3,500 feet and grows 

 fairly rapidly. Where the object is for ornament or the prevention of 

 erosion or the protection of headwaters of streams, this tree may be used 

 in such situations, but balsam has little commercial value, so its use 

 cannot be generally recommended. 



Sugar maple has been planted to some extent in this region, but 

 chiefly in mixture with the more valuable hardwoods and the pines, 

 with the object of improving them. On account of its rather slow 

 growth and small value for timber, it should not be planted by itself. In 

 the more northern States sugar maple has been planted with great 

 success with white pine, one plant of the latter to three of the former. 

 Similar planting has been done quite successfully at Biltmore. 



Most of the other hardwood trees which are recommended for re- 

 foresting, are best propagated by planting the seed where the trees are 

 to remain because the large taproots, which are developed soon after 

 germination, make it very difficult to transplant them. Walnut, hick- 

 ory, chestnut, and all the oaks belong to • this class. Both because of 

 the frailty of the young seedlings and because the seeds are subject to 

 the attacks of squirrels and other vermin, it is considerably more diffi- 

 cult to obtain a stand of these species than it is to obtain a stand of 

 species which can first be grown in a nursery. 



SOWING. 



The only species that are generally recommended for propagation by 

 sowing are the nut bearing trees, though occasionally others may be 

 sown to advantage. 



Walnut has been transplanted to some extent, but much greater suc- 

 cess has been attained by sowing seed where the plants are to grow. 

 Walnut grows well only on rich moist soils. For this reason, and be- 

 cause of its slow growth and doubtful popularity in the future, its 

 general use is not recommended. 



